Mold compacting apparatus



D 6, 1 B. c. FERRIS 3,289,256

MOLD COMPACTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 16, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 O O O40 /4 INVENTORL 770 KAI 5X5 Dec 6, 1966 B. c. FERRIS MOLD COMPACTINGAPPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 16, 1964 5 2 M 4 my W 2 4 a l n 2u a ,0 3m M v J ZJ I H A I a ,X M/ 4. x L00 6 06 0 j w\/j g \m Dec. 6,1966 Filed NOV. 16, 1964 B. C. FERRIS MOLD COMPACTING APPARATUS 5Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent Ofiice 3,289,256 Patented Dec. 6,1966 3,289,256 MOLD COMPACTING APPARATUS Burton C. Ferris, Detroit,Mich., assignor to Kelsey- Hayes Company, a corporation of DelawareFiled Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,340 8 Claims. (CI. 22-42) Thisinvention relates generally to molding apparatus, and more particularly,to an improved apparatus for fabricating sand molds.

It has heretofore been proposed in the fabrication of sand molds of thetype used in casting various metals, metallic alloys and the like, tocompact the mold sand around a mold pattern by forcing a resilient anddeformable diaphragm or blanket against the sand by a source ofcompressed air or similar actuating fluid. This method, however, hasbeen objectionable due to the fact that the portion of the mold againstwhich the diaphragm or blanket is compressed (usually the bottom), isformed with an irregular or nonplanar surface, resulting from variationsin the amount the mold sand is compacted around the mold pattern.Accordingly, when sand molds that have been formed by the aforesaidmethod are inverted in preparation for a subsequent casting operation,the lower sides thereof nonuniformly bear against an associated supportsurface, whereby cracks and undesirable similar discontinuities occur inthe molds. This, of course, results in considerable replacement expenseand interferes to some extent with the production schedule of thefoundry.

It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to providean improved compacting apparatus for fabricating sand molds that are notsubjected to the aforedescribed objections.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for fabricating sand molds that have substantially flat orplanar bottom or lower sides which are adapted to uniformly bear upon anassociated support surface.

It is still a more particular object of the present invention to providean improved sand mold compacting apparatus which includes means forstriking off the lower sides of the compacted molds, thereby forming asubstantially fiat or planar surface upon which the molds may besupported during a subsequent casting operation.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the mold compactingapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 and illustrates the manner in whichmold sand is transmitted from the sand hopper to the mold flask duringthe operational cycle of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the structure illustrated inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the structureillustrated in FIG. 5, taken along the line 66 thereof, and

FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken along the line 77 ofFIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, a mold compacting apparatus 10 inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, isshown in operative association with a molding sand dispensing apparatus12 which serves to selectively dispense predetermined quantities of molding sand that is subsequently compacted by the apparatus 10, as willhereinafter be described.

The sand dispensing apparatus 12 comprises a support structure 14 uponwhich is mounted an open top sand hopper 16 that is adapted to contain asupply of molding sand for the compacting apparatus 10.. Reciprocallymounted on the structure 14 directly below the lower end of the hopper16 is a generally rectangularly shaped batch hopper 18 which is movablealong a horizontal track or rail 19 upon actuation of a piston andcylinder assembly, generally designated 20, from a position directlybeneath the hopper 16 as seen by the phantom lines in FIGURE 1, to aposition spaced away from the hopper 16 as illustrated by the solidlines in FIGURE 1. The batch hopper 18 comprises a shutter plate 22which projects horizontally from the upper end thereof and serves toclose the lower end of the hopper 16 when the batch hopper 18 is biasedby the assembly 20 to the position illustrated by the solid lines inFIGURE 1. The lower end of the batch hopper 18 is closed by ahorizontally extending drawer 24 which is reciprocably mounted on thebatch hopper 18 and is movable relative thereto by a suitable piston andcylinder assembly, generally designated 26. The drawer 24 serves toselectively open and close the bottom of the batch hopper 18 todischarge the molding sand desposited th-erewithin by the hopper 16, aswill be described.

The support structure 14 includes a horizontally extending conveyorplatform, generally designated 28, upon which is supported a series ofgenerally rectangular configured molding flasks, generally designated bythe numeral 30. The flasks 30 are open on their top and bottom and aresuccessively conveyed to a position substantially underlying hopper 16by means of a conventional conveying apparatus (not shown), from whichposition they are adapted to be individually conveyed to a flasklowering mechanism that is generally designated 32 and located at theright end of the support structure 14. The flasks 30 are conveyor to thelowering mechanism 32 by means of a plurality of flask engaging dogs 34-which depend downwardly from the piston and cylinder assembly 26 and areadapted to engage each individual flask 30 as it is positioned beneaththe hopper 16.

The flask lowering mechanism 32 comprises a roller platform 36 having aplurality of antifrictional rollers 38 mounted on the opposite sidesthereof which enable the successive flasks 30 to be easily biased ontothe platform 36 by the dogs 34. Extending between the lower side of theplatform 36 and the lower end of the support structure 14 is a pair ofupwardly or vertically extending piston rods 40 and 42 which serve toelevate and lower the platform 36 upon actuation of a pair of cylinderassemblies 44 and 46 which are operatively associated with the pistonrod members 40 and 42, respectively.

Upon lowering the platform 36, as by retracting the piston rod members40 and 42 within their associated cylinder assemblies 44 and 46, themolding flask 30 which is supported on the top of the platform 36 islowered onto a carriage car 48 which has rollers 50 on the opposite sidethereof that are slidable upon a pair of spaced parallel rails or tracks52 which extend perpendicularly to the aforediscussed conveying platform28 and enable the carriage car 48 to move from its position illustratedin solid lines in FIGURE 3 to a position within the compacting apparatus10, as indicated in the phantom line in FIGURE 3. Referring again toFIGURES 1 and 2, the carriage car 48, together with supporting theindividual molding flasks 30 thereon, is adapted to support one or morereusable mold patterns, representatively designated by the numeral 54and around which the molding sand deposited from the batch hopper 18into the flasks 30- is compacted to form a sand mold.

Referring now in detail to the mold compacting apparatus 10 of thepresent invention, as seen in FIG- URES 3 and 4, the apparatus 10comprises an enclosed upper end or head section 56 which is generallyrectangular in horizontal section and has a top portion 58, sideportions 60 and defines a manifold chamber 62 therewithin. The bottom ofthe section 56 is communicable through a plurality of ports 64 with adiaphragm chamber 66 which is also generally rectangular in horizontalsection and is located directly below the head section 56, as seen inFIGURES 3 and 4.

Extending across and being sealingly secured around the periphery of thelower end of the chamber 66 is a compacting diaphragm or blanket 68which is preferably fabricated of a flexible and deform-able materialsuch as rubber or the like and serves to compact the molding sand withthe flasks 30, in a manner hereinafter to be described.

Air or a similar actuating fluid is supplied under pressure to themanifold chamber 62 through a valve mechanism 70 and an air conduit 72,the latter of which is connected to a suitable source of compressed air,representatively indicated by the air pump 74. The valve mechanism 70,which is mounted on the top of head section 56, is preferably of thethree way two-position type and includes a conventional solenoid device(not shown) which is adapted to selectively communicate the manifoldchamber 62 with the air conduit 72 or with conduit 76 which iscommunicable with a vacuum pump herein designated 78. As best seen inFIGURE 4, a flat horizontally extending baffle plate 80 is secured tothe top of the diaphragm chamber 66 below the ports 64, which plate 80serves to diffuse or disperse the force of pressurized air or similaractuating fluid being communicated into the chamber 66 from the manifoldchamber 62 to force the diaphragm 68 downward and thereby compact themolding sand Within the flasks 30.

Referring now to FIGURES through 7, the lower end of the mold compactingapparatus (that portion below the diaphragm chamber 66) is generallyC-shaped in horizontal cross section and comprises spaced side portions82 and 84 and a back portion 86, the remaining open side confronting themold sand dispensing apparatus 12. As seen in FIGURE 3, the carriage cartracks 52 terminate within the apparatus 10 and thus permit the carriagecar 48, along with a flask and mold pattern 54 supported upon the car48, to move from a position underlying dispensing apparatus 12 to aposition within the compacting apparatus 10. Means for thus moving thecarriage car 48 along the tracks 52 is achieved through the use of apiston and cylinder assembly, generally designated 88, which is locatedsubstantially below the apparatus 10 and comprises a reciprocal pistonrod 90. The piston rod 90, which extends parallel to and interjacent thetracks 52, is provided with a carriage car engaging mechanism 92 on theouter end thereof that is connected to the lower side of the carriagecar 48, as seen in FIGURES 3 and 4. Upon actuation of assembly 88, thepiston rod 90 will bias the carriage car 48 along the tracks 52 from theposition illustrated by the solid lines in FIGURE 3 into the interior ofthe compacting apparatus 10, at which time the compacting diaphragm 68is forced downwardly to compact the molding sand within the flask 30supported upon the carriage car 48. Upon completion of the compactingoperation, the piston rod 90 then biases the carriage car 48, along withthe flask 30 and compacted sand mold therein, out of the apparatus 10 inpreparation for the next successive compacting operation.

To prevent the molding sand from being forced out of the interior of theapparatus 10 through the open side thereof when the diaphragm 68 isforced downwardly onto the flask 30 and molding sand disposedtherewithin, there is provided a horizontally extending, elongated gate,generally designated 94, which is movable to and from a position closingthat portion of the open side of the compacting apparatus 10 directlyadjacent the top of the flasks 30 when they are located Within theapparatus 10. The gate 94, when disposed in the above described positionpartially closing the open side of the apparatus 10, is supported by apair of rectangularly shaped support brackets, generally designated 95having rectangularly shaped openings 96 within Which the gate 94 isslidably mounted, as seen in FIGURE 6. The upset gate 94 is opened andclosed through the use of a piston and cylinder assembly, generallydesignated 97, which is secured to one end of the apparatus 10 by asuitable bracket 98 and comprises a reciprocal piston rod 100 that issecured at its outer end to the end of the gate 94 by a plurality ofbolts, generally designated 102.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, theapparatus 10 includes a molding sand strikeoff mechanism, generallydesignated 104, which serves to strike off or level the top of thecompacted sand molds as the carriage car is moved out of the apparatus10 upon actuation of the piston and cylinder assembly 88. The mechanism104 is located on the open side of the aparatus 10 and comprises ahorizontally extending strikeoff bar 106 having a shearing edge 108formed along the lower side thereof. The bar 106 is movable in asubstantially vertical direction from a position where the shearing edge10% thereof is slightly higher than the top of the gate 94, thuspermitting the flasks 30 to move freely intothe apparatus 10 on thecarriage car 48, to a position where the shearing edge 108 thereof liesin substantially the same horiozntal plane defined by the top of themolding flasks 30 when they are located within the apparatus 10. Thus,as the flasks 30 are moved out of the apparatus 10 relative to thestrike-ofl bar 106, the portions of the compacted sand molds projectingabove the horizontal plane defined by the top of the flasks 30 will hesheared off of the top of the flasks 30 by the shearing edge 108,whereby the bottom of the sand molds will have a flat or planar surfaceupon which they may be supported without the possibility of the sandmolds cracking or the like. Means for moving the strike-off bar 106 toand from the above described position coplanar with the top of theflasks 30 is provided by a piston and cylinder assembly 110 that ismounted near the top of the apparatus 10 by a suitable support bracket112. The assembly 110 includes a reciprocal piston rod 114 which issecured to a medial portion of the strike-off bar 106 by a suitableretaining bracket 116 and bolts 118, as seen in FIGURE 5.

To facilitate the correlation of the various hereinabove describedcomponents of the mold compacting apparatus 10, together with theiroperative association with the sand dispensing apparatus 12, a briefresume of the operation of each of these devices will now be given.

In operation, assuming that the hopper 16 contains an adequate supply ofmolding sand and that a continous supply of flasks 30 are conveyed alongthe platform 28, and also that the batch hopper 18 is oriented belowhopper 16 such that a predetermined quantity of molding sand passes fromthe hopper 16 into the batch hopper 18, the piston and cylinder assembly20 is initially energized whereby the batch hopper 18 moves from theposition illustrated in the phantom lines of FIGURE 1 to the positionillustrated by the solid lines in this figure. It will be noted that asthe batch hopper 18 is thus moved, the shutter plate 22 closes the lowerend of the hopper 16 to prevent any mold sand from being dispensed fromthe hopper 16 until such time as the batch hopper 18 is again orientedtherebelow. As the batch hopper 18 is thus moved by the assembly 20, theflask 30 which is oriented below the hopper 16 is moved by the dogs 34onto the top of the platform 36. When the flask 30 is moved onto theplatform 36, a suitable limit switch (not shown) is actuated, wherebythe cylinder assemblies 44 and 46 are energized to lower the piston rods40 and 42 such that the flask 30 is deposited onto the top of thecarriage car 48 having the mold pattern 54 supported thereon. When theflask 34} is thus located on the top of the carriage car 48, the pistonand cylinder assembly 26 is actuated whereby the drawer 24 is moved tothe left, thereby enabling the molding sand within the batch hopper 18to drop downwardly into the flask 30, as seen in FIGURE 2.

Assuming that the gate 94 is in the position illustrated in the pahntomlines in FIGURE 7 and that the strikeofr bar 106 is in a raisedposition, after the molding sand is deposited into the flask 30, thepiston and cylinder assembly 88 is actuated, whereby the piston rod 90thereof biases the carriage car 48, along with the flask 30, pattern 54and molding sand into the compacting apparatus of the present invention.As the carriage car 48 is moved into position within the apparatus 10,it trips a suitable limit switch (not shown) which serves to actuate thepiston and cylinder assembly 97, whereby the gate 94 is biased to itsclosed position, as indicated by the solid lines in FIGURE 7. When thegate 94 is thus closed, the valve mechanism 70 is actuated such thatcompressed air or the like is forced from the pump 74 into the manifoldchamber 62, this air then being communicated through the ports 64 intothe diaphragm chamber 66 to force the diaphargm 68 downwardly againstthe top of the molding sand within the flask 30, as seen in FIGURE 4. Asthe diaphragm 68 is forced downwardly by the compressed air within thechamber 66, the molding sand is compacted within the flask 3i and aroundthe pattern 54 therein, the degree of compacting of the sand, of course,depending upon the air pressure within the chamber 66.

At such time as the compacting operation is completed, the valvemechanism 70 is again actuated, for example, by a suitable pressuresensing device within the diaphragm chamber 66, whereby the interior ofthe manifold chamber 62 and diaphragm chamber 66 are communicatedthrough the conduit 76 with the vacuum pump 78, resulting in thepressurized air or the like within the chambers 62 and 66 beingevacuated therefrom and the diaphragm being elevated to the positionillustrated in FIG- URE 3. As the pressurized air within the chamber 62and 66 is thus evacuated, the piston and cylinder assembly 97 isactuated, thereby retracting the piston rod 100 and opening gate 94.Simultaneously, the piston and cylinder assembly 110 is actuated wherebythe strikeoff bar 106 is lowered to the position illustrated by thephantom lines in FIGURE 4. Thereafter, the piston and cylinder assembly88 is actuated whereby the piston rod 90 biases the carriage car 48 outof the apparatus 10, at which time the shearing edge 106 of the bar 106shears or strikes oif that portion of the molding s-an-d which projectsabove the top of the molding flask 30, thereby providing a smooth orplanar surface along the top of the sand mold theretofore formed withinthe flask 30. Accordingly, when the sand mold is removed from the flaskand properly inverted such that cavities formed by the pattern 54 faceupwardly for receiving the material to be cast therewithin, the lowersurface of the sand mold will contiguously bear upon a suitable supportplatform such that the sand mold will be properly supported thereon.

When the carriage car 48 been biased out of the compacting apparatus 10to the position indicated by the solid lines in FIGURE 3, the flask 3t),together with the sand mold formed therewithin, is removed from the topof the car 48 by suitable conveying means (not shown). It will be note-dthat the pattern 54 may be fixedly secured to the top of the car 48 andthereby remain on the car 48 when the flask 30 and sand mold is liftedtherefrom, or alternatively, the pattern 54 may be removed with the sandmold and flask and. be replaced by similar or different patterns inpreparation for the next operational cycle of the compacting apparatus10. After the flask 30 and sand mold are removed from the car 48, thepiston and cylinder assembly 110 is actuated to raise the strike-off bar106, the piston and cylinder assemblies 44 and 46 are actuated to raisethe roller platform 36, the assembly 26 is actuated to close the shutterplate 24, and the assembly 20 is actuated. to bias the batch hopper 18to a position underlying hopper 16, whereby the compacting apparatus 10and molding sand dispensing apparatus 12 are prepared for the nextsuccessive operational cycle thereof.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment hereinillustrated is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, itwill be appreciated that the mold compacting apparatus 10 of the presentinvention is susceptible to modification, variation and change withoutdeparting from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined,claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a sand dispensing apparatus, a sand mold flaskcontaining a preselected quantity of molding sandv therewithin, meansdefining a generally three-sided enclosure for receiving said flask,means including a pressure responsive diaphragm within said enclosurefor compacting sand within said flask to form a mold, gate means mountedon said enclosure and movable to and from a position forming the fourthside thereof, and mold shearing means, said mold being engageable withand said. last mentioned means as the mold is moved out of the apparatuswhereby to form a substantially planar surface on at least a portion ofsaid mold.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 which includes means for movingsaid flask relative to said mold shearing means.

3. In combination with a sand dispensing apparatus, a mold campactinghousing having an opening on one side thereof adapted to removablyreceive a molding flask, gate means slidably mounted on said housing forselectively closing at least a portion of said opening, means withinsaid housing including fluid pressure responsive diaphragm means forcompacting a mold within said molded flask, a strike-off bar movablysecured on said housing, and means for moving said strike-off bar to andfrom a position in substantial coplanar relation with a portion of saidmolding flask.

4. In combination in a molding apparatus, a semienclosed molding housingadapted to removably receive a molding flask containing a preselectedquantity of molding sand means for moving a molding flask along a preselected path to and from the interior of said housing, means includinggate means movable transversely to said path for partially enclosingsaid flask within said housing, means including diaphragm means forcompacting said sand. within said flask, and mold shearing means, saidflask and said last mentioned means being movable to one another wherebyto provide a substantially planar surface on at least a portion of amold formed in said flask.

5'. In a mold compacting apparatus, a housing having an opening formedtherein for removably receiving a molding flask, means includingpressure responsive diaphragm means for compacting molding sand withinsaid flask, means for partially closing said opening, a mold shearingbar movably mounted on said housing, gate means movable parallel to saidbar for at. least partially closing said opening, and means for movingsaid flask relative to said bar whereby to form a substantially planarsurface on at least a portion of a mold formed in said flask.

6. In a mold compacting apparatus, a compacting housing, a fluidpressure responsive diaphragm in said housing, an opening in saidhousing adjacent said diaphragm and adapted to removably receive amolding flask containing a preselected quantity of molding sand, meansfor forcing said diaphragm into engagement with molding sand with amolding flask disposed in said housing to compact the sand, meansincluding gate means for at least partially closing said opening, meansmovable relative to said flask and engageable with the compacted sand toprovide a substantially planar surface on a portion of the mold formedtherewithin, and means for moving said flask along a path transverse tothe axis of said last mentioned means.

7. In a mold compacting apparatus, a housing comprising a manifold.chamber and a diaphragm chamber, a substantially flexible and deformablediaphragm extending within said diaphragm chamber, an opening in saidhousing adjacent said diaphragm, a molding flask containing apreselected quantity of molding sand, means including carrier means fortransporting said flask into and out of said opening, means forsubjecting said diaphragm to fluid under pressure to press saiddiaphragm against said sand in said flask to compact said sand, a gateslidably mounted. on said housing and movable to and from a positionpartially closing said opening, a horizontally extending strike-off ba-rmovably secured to said housing adjacent said opening and movable to andfrom a plane parallel to a plane defined by said flask, and piston andcylinder means for raising and lowering said strike-off bar and foropening and closing said gate.

8. The invention as set forth in claim 7 which includes piston andcylinder means for biasing said carrier mean-s relative to saidstrike-off bar whereby said bar engages a sand mold in said flask toform a substantially planar surface thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,134,398 4/1915McCarte 2242 X 2,588,669 3/1952 Taccone 2242 2,698,976 1/1955 Taccone22-42 2,859,499 11/ 1958 Floehr 2242 I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, PrimaryExaminer.

20 E. MAR, Assistant Examiner.

5. IN A MOLD COMPACTING APPARATUS, A HOUSING HAVING AN OPENING FORMEDTHEREIN FOR REMOVABLY RECEIVING A MOLDING FLASK, MEANS INCLUDINGPRESSURE RESPONSIVE DIAPHRAGM MEANS FOR COMPACTING MOLDING SAND WITHINSAID FLASK, MEANS FOR PARTIALLY CLOSING AND OPENING, A MOLD SHEARING BARMOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING, GATE MEANS MOVABLE PARALLEL TO SAID BARFOR AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLOSING SAID OPENING, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAIDFLASK RELATIVE TO SAID BAR WHEREBY TO FORM A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANARSURFACE ON AT LEAST A PORTION OF A MOLD FORMED IN SAID FLASK.